The documentary film is named Burning the Future: Coal in America by David Novack and was released in 2008.
2.What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The main argument of this film is focused on the issue of the coal industry and mountain top removal in West Virginia and the United States. There are many problems that are associated with the coal industry that need to be addressed now. There needs to be policy changes in the government in order to regulate and limit the affects that the industry has on the world. The movie focuses on how the community of West Virginia are beginning to rise against and trying to make a change. There are many systems involved with the industry that make it hard to implement these changes. Due to the fact that the United States receives over 50% of its energy from coal, it will be hard to adjust to better alternatives.
3.What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
The coal industry has caused so many sustainability issues; it has become a major problem for not just the surrounding communities, but for the well being of this planet. New mining methods such as mountain top removal, coal slurry, and valley filling have created several environmental problems that have affected the supply and quality of water, natural ecosystems, and wildlife. Floods are more common in the residing regions. Coal power plants are the number one producer of CO2 emissions into the air. The United States government has combated these affects by passing such legislation like the Clean Air Act. However, the coal industry uses more chemicals in order to get out the impurities of the coal, which also can be harmful to one’s health. The groundwater and drinking water of communities are affected by chemicals from the slurry. This has caused many diseases and sicknesses. Since the coal industry produces a lot of money, the governments are supporting their actions. Even if a company is not complying with the law and an activist reports it, the government will change the law in order to make it legal. Agencies like the EPA have done nothing in order to help out the communities. These communities are very poor and do not benefit from the revenue that the corporations receive. As the viewer can see there are several sustainability problems that the film introduces.
4.What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
One of the most shocking facts about the movie was the coal slurries that the coal companies dump into the valleys. There are over one hundred of these ponds in West Virginia alone, and they severely affect the conditions of the environment and the water. People can’t even drink their water in some cases, and if they do, they can get very sick. These coal companies also state that they create jobs. However, compared to the underground mining days, there are 85% less amount of jobs that the coal industry provides.
5.What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
There weren’t any parts of this film that I was not interested in.
6.What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
I want to research in two problems that the film addressed. The first one would be the coal slurries that the companies create in order to get rid of their waste. How could this be legal? I would like to look deeper into what kinds of chemicals are included in the slurry and its direct effects on the environment and the health of the residents nearby. The other problem would be the purification of the emissions by the use of other chemicals. I’m not so confident if this is a true statement or not, and would like to research and learn more about it.
7.What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
The audience that is best directed to would be the residents of nearby coal plants and major users of the coal industry. Among these users would be the government officials and legal authorities that create the dangerous system that have caused so many sustainability problems. Another group would be the general public as a whole. If people really understood where there energy came from and the effects that it has on the environment, they would be more inclined to change their lifestyles.
8.What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
By protesting and sharing your personal experiences with your community, you can make a difference. As these environmental groups grow in numbers, so does the likely-hood that something will change. Also by encouraging clean coal technology, we could make a bad situation better. Unite with your community and your voice will be heard.
9.What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
This film focused more on the community and how it is affected by the coal industry. There was a sufficient amount of environmental education in the film pertaining to mountain top removal and the poor water quality. I believe this film did a decent job at portraying the environmental harm that the coal industry has on the environment. These effects were mostly local. It could have been expanded to discuss the use of coal from a global standpoint.
Burning the Future: Coal in America
1. Title, director and release year?
The documentary film is named Burning the Future: Coal in America by David Novack and was released in 2008.
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The main argument of this film is focused on the issue of the coal industry and mountain top removal in West Virginia and the United States. There are many problems that are associated with the coal industry that need to be addressed now. There needs to be policy changes in the government in order to regulate and limit the affects that the industry has on the world. The movie focuses on how the community of West Virginia are beginning to rise against and trying to make a change. There are many systems involved with the industry that make it hard to implement these changes. Due to the fact that the United States receives over 50% of its energy from coal, it will be hard to adjust to better alternatives.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
The coal industry has caused so many sustainability issues; it has become a major problem for not just the surrounding communities, but for the well being of this planet. New mining methods such as mountain top removal, coal slurry, and valley filling have created several environmental problems that have affected the supply and quality of water, natural ecosystems, and wildlife. Floods are more common in the residing regions. Coal power plants are the number one producer of CO2 emissions into the air. The United States government has combated these affects by passing such legislation like the Clean Air Act. However, the coal industry uses more chemicals in order to get out the impurities of the coal, which also can be harmful to one’s health. The groundwater and drinking water of communities are affected by chemicals from the slurry. This has caused many diseases and sicknesses. Since the coal industry produces a lot of money, the governments are supporting their actions. Even if a company is not complying with the law and an activist reports it, the government will change the law in order to make it legal. Agencies like the EPA have done nothing in order to help out the communities. These communities are very poor and do not benefit from the revenue that the corporations receive. As the viewer can see there are several sustainability problems that the film introduces.
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
One of the most shocking facts about the movie was the coal slurries that the coal companies dump into the valleys. There are over one hundred of these ponds in West Virginia alone, and they severely affect the conditions of the environment and the water. People can’t even drink their water in some cases, and if they do, they can get very sick. These coal companies also state that they create jobs. However, compared to the underground mining days, there are 85% less amount of jobs that the coal industry provides.
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
There weren’t any parts of this film that I was not interested in.
6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
I want to research in two problems that the film addressed. The first one would be the coal slurries that the companies create in order to get rid of their waste. How could this be legal? I would like to look deeper into what kinds of chemicals are included in the slurry and its direct effects on the environment and the health of the residents nearby. The other problem would be the purification of the emissions by the use of other chemicals. I’m not so confident if this is a true statement or not, and would like to research and learn more about it.
7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
The audience that is best directed to would be the residents of nearby coal plants and major users of the coal industry. Among these users would be the government officials and legal authorities that create the dangerous system that have caused so many sustainability problems. Another group would be the general public as a whole. If people really understood where there energy came from and the effects that it has on the environment, they would be more inclined to change their lifestyles.
8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
By protesting and sharing your personal experiences with your community, you can make a difference. As these environmental groups grow in numbers, so does the likely-hood that something will change. Also by encouraging clean coal technology, we could make a bad situation better. Unite with your community and your voice will be heard.
9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
This film focused more on the community and how it is affected by the coal industry. There was a sufficient amount of environmental education in the film pertaining to mountain top removal and the poor water quality. I believe this film did a decent job at portraying the environmental harm that the coal industry has on the environment. These effects were mostly local. It could have been expanded to discuss the use of coal from a global standpoint.